Patent application title: Adjustable Angle Clamp

Abstract:

An adjustable clamp for maintaining two butting panels in an adjoining
relationship. A clamping base is composed of a pair of base plates
connected at each end with a scissor hinge allowing the plates to be
secured at angles of from 0° to greater than 90° to one
another. Clamp members are provided on each of the base plates for
clamping panels in the desired butting relationship for gluing or
otherwise joining the butting panels along their butting edges.

Claims:

1. An adjustable clamp for maintaining two butting segments in an angular
adjoining relation to one another, comprisinga. a clamping device base
comprising,i. a pair of elongated, parallel, base plates adjacent one
another, andii. a scissor hinge at each of said base plates, said scissor
hinges connecting said base plates in a spaced relationship and variable
hingedly securing said base plates at angles of from 0.degree. to greater
than 90.degree. to one another,b. first and second clamp members, each
clamp member being adjustably secured to a respective one of said base
plates, andc. an operating element for each clamp member for movably
positioning each said clamp member in relation to its respective base
plate.

2. The adjustable clamp according to claim 1, in which each said operating
element comprises a pair of bolts extending from said base plate, each
bolt extending through an aperture in said clamp member, and including an
adjustable fastener on each bolt proximate said clamp member.

3. The adjustable clamp according to claim 2, in which said fastener
comprises a nut.

4. The adjustable clamp according to claim 3, in which said nut is
knurled.

5. The adjustable clamp according to claim 1, in which said scissor hinge
comprises a pair of slide plates, said slide plates being connected
together at a pivot junction proximate to and spaced from a first end,
each first end being connected to a pivot point on one of said base
plates, and each slide plate being slidably connected at a second end to
a slide point on a second of said base plates.

6. The adjustable clamp according to claim 5, in which each slide plate
includes a longitudinal slot, said slide point extending into said slot.

7. The adjustable clamp according to claim 6, including a lock for
securing said base plates at a desired angle.

8. The adjustable clamp according to claim 7, in which each pivot point
and each slide point includes a screw extending from said base plate,
said lock comprising an adjustable nut threaded on each of at least some
of screws.

9. The adjustable clamp according to claim 8, including an adjustable nut
threaded on each of said screws.

Description:

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0001]This invention relates to clamping of two pieces or panels in an
adjoining relationship, and more particularly to an adjustable clamp for
maintaining a desired butting angular relationship between the two panels
so that the panels can be glued or otherwise joined to one another.

[0002]When joining two flat panels, such as pieces of plastic or wood, to
one another, it is necessary to maintain the panels in a butting
relationship temporarily so that they can be glued or otherwise joined at
their junction. In applicant's previous U.S. Pat. No. 6,318,712,
disclosed is an angle gluing clamp for joining pieces at a fixed angle to
one another, such as a 90° angle.

[0003]Various devices have been developed in the past for clamping two
pieces or segments for joining them to one another, as explained in prior
U.S. Pat. No. 6,318,712. However, except for the '712 patent, because of
the construction of the devices, application of glue to join pieces to
one another is difficult unless the glue is applied before the pieces are
clamped and joined. Such is not an impediment in the '712 patent or the
invention of the present application.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0004]The invention provides an adjustable clamp for maintaining two
butting segments or panels in an angular adjoining relation to one
another. It includes a clamping base, which comprises a pair of
elongated, parallel, base plates adjacent one another and a scissor hinge
at each end of the base plates, with the scissor hinges connecting the
base plates in a spaced relationship and variably hingedly securing the
base plates at angles of from 0° to greater than 90° to one
another. First and second clamp members are provided, each clamp member
being adjustably secured to a respective one of the base plates. An
operating element for each clamp member is provided for movably
positioning each clamp member in relation to its respective base plate.

[0005]In accordance with the preferred form of the invention, each
operating element comprises a pair of bolts extending from the base
plate, with each bolt extending through an aperture in the clamp member,
and including an adjustable fastener on each bolt proximate the clamp
member. Preferably, the fastener comprises a nut, which is knurled.

[0006]The scissor hinge comprises a pair of slide plates, the slide plates
being connected together at a pivot junction proximate to and spaced from
a first end of each of the slide plates. The first ends are connected to
a pivot point on one of the base plates, and each slide plate is slidably
connected at a second end to a slide point on a second of the base
plates. Preferably, each slide plate includes a longitudinal slot, with
the slide point extending into the slot. A lock is provided for securing
the base plates at a desired angle. To that end, each pivot point and
each slide point includes a screw extending from the base plate, and the
lock comprises an adjustable nut threaded on each of at least some of the
screws, and preferably all of the screws.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0007]The invention is described in greater detail in the following
description of examples embodying the best mode of the invention, taken
in conjunction with the drawing figures, in which:

[0008]FIG. 1 is an isometric view of an adjustable clamp according to the
invention, when oriented at 0° so that butting plates are joined
at no included angle to one another,

[0009]FIG. 2 is an enlarged, side elevational illustration of the
apparatus shown in FIG. 1,

[0010]FIG. 3 is a view similar to FIG. 1, but with the adjustable clamp
oriented with each of the base plates at an angle of about 35° to
horizontal,

[0011]FIG. 4 is an enlarged side elevational illustration of the
orientation shown in FIG. 3,

[0012]FIG. 5 is a view similar to FIG. 1, but with the base plates
oriented at an angle of about 66° from horizontal,

[0013]FIG. 6 is an enlarged, side elevational illustration of the
orientation shown in FIG. 5,

[0014]FIG. 7 is an exploded view of the assembly of the elements of the
invention,

[0015]FIG. 8 is an enlarged end view, similar to FIG. 2, without the
butting panels and with some elements eliminated to illustrate detail,

[0016]FIG. 9 is a view similar to FIG. 8, but with the base plates
oriented at the angle shown in FIG. 4, and

[0017]FIG. 10 is a view similar to FIG. 8, but with the base plates
oriented at an angle similar to FIG. 6.

DESCRIPTION OF EXAMPLES EMBODYING THE BEST MODE OF THE INVENTION

[0018]An adjustable clamp according to the invention is shown generally at
10 in the drawing figures. The clamp 10 comprises two basic components, a
clamping base 12 and clamp members 14 adjustably secured to the clamping
base 12, as described in further detail below.

[0019]The clamp base 12 is composed of a pair of elongated, parallel, base
plates 16 and 18 that are spaced and adjacent to one another. The base
plates 16 and 18 preferably are metal or some other solid material that
is not susceptible to bending or warping, and can carry the various other
elements of the invention as described herein.

[0020]The base plates 16 and 18 are connected at each end by a scissor
hinge 20. The scissor hinges 20 connect the base plates 16 and 18 in the
spaced relationship shown in the drawing figures and allow variable
hinging of the base plates at angles of from 0° to greater than
90° to one another.

[0021]Each scissor hinge 20 comprises a pair of slide plates 22 and 24.
The slide plates 22 and 24 are connected together at a pivot junction 26
which is proximate to and spaced from a first inner end 28 and 30 of the
respective side plates 22 and 24, as best shown in FIGS. 7 through 10.
Preferably, for connecting at the pivot junction 26, a screw 32 and nut
34 are used, passing through appropriate apertures in the respective
slide plates 22 and 24, as best shown in FIG. 7.

[0022]Each of the slide plates 22 and 24 is slidably connected at its
respective second outer end 36 and 38 to a respective slide point 40 and
42, the slide point 40 being located on the base plate 16 and slide point
42 being located on the base plate 18, as illustrated in FIGS. 8 through
10.

[0023]For adjustment purposes, each of the slide plates 22 and 24 includes
a respective longitudinal slot 44 and 46. As illustrated in FIGS. 8
through 10, the slide points 40 and 42 extend into their respective slots
44 and 46.

[0024]As shown in the drawing figures, each of the scissor hinges 20 is
completed with four screws 48, 50, 52 and 54 extending longitudinally
from the ends of the base plates 16 and 18. An adjustable nut 56, 58, 60
or 62 is mounted on a respective one of the screws 48 through 54, as
illustrated. The screws 48 through 54, when installed, are fixed in
place. The nuts 56 through 62, on the other hand, are threadedly
adjustable on their respective screws 48 through 54 so as to provide a
lock for securing the base plates 16 and 18 at a desired angle are shown
in FIGS. 1 through 6. When the adjustable nuts 56 through 62 are
tightened on their respective screws 48 through 54, the scissor hinges 20
are locked, and the base plates 16 and 18 are then maintained at whatever
angle is desired.

[0025]The clamp members 14 are identical to one another. Each is composed
of a pair of bolts 64 and 66 threaded into and rising from their
respective base plates 16 and 18. The bolts 64 and 66 pass through
appropriate apertures in a clamp member 68. A nut 70 and 72 is threaded
onto its respective bolt 64 and 66 to engage the clamp member 68. For
cushioning purposes, each of the clamp members 68 may also be underlain
by a pad 74, such as a foam strip. Thus, anything clamped by the clamp
member 68 will be appropriately cushioned.

[0026]In use, the adjustable clamp 10 is used to maintain two butting
panels or segments 76 and 78 in a desired angular relationship with their
abutting edges joining one another. Thus, as shown in FIGS. 1 through 6,
the panels 76 and 78 are inserted in the clamp 10, and the clamp members
14 are then tightened to maintain the panels 76 and 78 in place by means
of tightening the nuts 70 and 72 on their respective bolts 64 and 66.
Thereafter, the butting edges of the panels 76 and 78 can be glued or
otherwise joined to one another, and when the junction of the butting
panels 74 and 76 is appropriately cured, the clamp members 14 can be
released by either loosening, or entirely removing, the nuts 70 and 72
with the clamp members 68 then being removed. The joined panels 76 and 78
are then readily removed from the adjustable clamp 10.

[0027]As illustrated in the drawing figures, the geometry of the hinging
of the elements of the invention keeps the joined panels 76 and 78 as
close together as possible to their respective base plates 16 and 18
while still leaving room between the plates 16 and 18 to access the
inside of the joint between the panels 76 and 78. For thin materials,
this is particularly important. As the angle between the base plates 16
and 18 progresses from flat or 180 degrees in FIGS. 1 and 2 through
increasingly tighter angles to those shown in FIGS. 5 and 6, the base
plates 16 and 18 get drawn close together as the angle increases. The
location of the pivot junction 26 controls this. Thus, moving the pivot
junction 26 upwardly or downwardly (in relation to FIG. 2) can change how
far the base plates 16 and 18 are spaced from one another as the angles
between them change.

[0028]The clamp according to the invention provides a simple, yet highly
effective device for clamping two pieces of material together, while
affording full access to the junction of those pieces of material to
allow joining at their butting edges. Various changes can be made to the
invention without departing from the spirit thereof or scope of the
following claims.